Fenwick Island Lighthouse

Year Built

1858

Cost

$25,000

Type

Conical

Height

87 feet

Location

Fenwick Island

Automated Year

1940

First Lit

1859

Lens Type

Third order Fresnel lens

Fog Signal

None

Year Deactivated

1978-1982

Color

White w/black lantern

Last Keeper - Date

John C. Gray (1948)

Description

The lighthouse is currently owned by the State of Delaware. Tower closed, grounds open.

Brief History

•  December 29, 1858, work on Fenwick Island Lighthouse was complete, but for some reason not given, the light would not be exhibited until August 1 of the following year.
•  A detached oil house was added to the station in 1883 and again in 1910.
•  In 1939, the Coast Guard sold off three-quarters of the station’s land including the old dwelling to Charles. L. Gray, who had just retired as keeper of the lighthouse, for $1,610.79.
•  During restoration work in 1997, the lighthouse was encircled with scaffolding, and this outer layer was then wrapped in protective coating.
•  In 2017, it was announced that the state had acquired the keeper’s dwelling west of the lighthouse and had hired a Wilmington architecture firm to return the house to its original state.